1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to treatment of cases of impotence among men, and more particularly to the use of a topical or intraurethral vasodilator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Impotence, or lack of a man's ability to have sexual intercourse, is often the subject of parlor humor, but the fact is that millions of men suffer from this condition, regardless of age, place of birth, or prior sexual experience. Impotence is generally characterized by an inability to maintain a penile erection.
Causes of impotence are numerous. It may be atonic, due to paralysis of the motor nerves (nervi erigentes) without any evidence of lesion to the central nervous system. Conversely, it could be paretic as a result of a lesion in the central nervous system, particularly the spinal cord. Alternatively, it could be psychic, and dependent on a mental complex or instability. Finally, it could be symptomatic, due to some other disorder, such as injury to nerves in the perineal region, by virtue of which the sensory portion of the erection reflex is blocked out.
Obviously, the condition may be cured by eliminating the cause which lies at the root of the problem. Often, however, determining the origin of the ailment is difficult or impossible, and even if the cause is known, treatment may be ineffective.
Because of these difficulties, it would generally be acceptable to treat the malady by some artificial means of erection. Prosthetic devices have been engineered to aid stricken individuals, but these devices can be quite cumbersome and expensive. Surgery is usually required to place the prosthesis in the penis initially. Another technique involves injection of chemicals or fluids into the penis itself with a hypodermic needle, but this has obvious drawbacks.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to devise a method of treatment for impotence which was directed to the penis itself, but did not require intrusive and potentially painful techniques. The method should also be simple to use as well as inexpensive.